Why You Should Add the Hex Bar to Your Gym Routine
Bored with the identical outdated lifts? This piece of kit can shake up your barbell deadlifts in some actually cool methods.
There are a number of sorts of deadlifts. From dumbbells deadlifts, bilateral single-leg deadlifts, and the varied kinds of barbell deadlifts, chances are you’ll assume you’ve tried all of them. But, there’s an fascinating piece of kit hanging out within the fitness center that would change up your stale train routine on leg day: the hex bar.
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What Is the Hex Bar?
The hex bar is a multi-purpose bar that can be utilized for squatting, hinging, and carrying motion patterns, together with the deadlift, explains Roxy Jones, licensed useful power coach, NASM-certified coach, and Alo Moves teacher.
As the identify implies, the hex bar (or entice bar) is a hexagon-shaped barbell, wherein you stand inside the hexagon fairly than behind, as you’ll with a straight barbell. Typically, there are two locations to grip the entice bar — a decrease deal with and the next deal with — each are contained in the bar and supply a impartial grip positioning. This means your palms might be confronted towards your physique on both facet of you.
Benefits of Using a Hex Bar for Lifts
More Balanced Weight Distribution
The distinctive form permits for a extra even weight distribution, against the straight barbell, which locations all the load in entrance, explains Jones. “This even weight distribution can help decrease the risk of injuring your back,” she provides. Beginner lifters who’re nonetheless getting the dangle of correct type approach or doubtlessly loading an excessive amount of weight too shortly may be in danger for damage, reminiscent of a low again damage, whereas deadlifting, she explains.
Allows You to Lift Heavier
Hex bar deadlifts additionally “make it possible to hold very heavy weight,” says Jones. If you’ve been lifting with dumbbells for a while, you will have observed you’ve maxed out on how heavy you possibly can carry with free weights. Loading 100+ kilos on a barbell of any variety, together with a hex bar is way simpler than making an attempt to take action with a set of heavy free weights.
Smart Option for “Carry” Exercises
The farmer’s carry or farmer’s stroll train has you maintain weight in every hand and stroll as you carry the load with you. This is a good useful coaching train that helps you progress with ease throughout on a regular basis life — take into consideration carrying these heavy grocery baggage into the home. “The handles [of a hex bar] are great to use as a farmer’s carry, and this can be [used] for a very heavy load,” says Jones. “[Using a hex bar for carry exercises] also might be easier since it’s one piece versus two heavy separate weights.”
Offers Versatile Movement Patterns
As a reminder, there are two most important lower-body coaching motion patterns: the hinge (hips again, slight bend in knee, usually higher engagement within the hamstrings) and squat (hips again and down, extra important bend in knee, usually higher engagement of the quads). A conventional deadlift is a combination between a hinge and a squat, with extra knee-dominant motion, explains Jones. Whereas, a Romanian deadlift is extra of a hinging sample, with solely a slight bend within the knee, she says. You can do each with the hex bar. The hex bar “also positions the load down by your sides making it very compatible for people with different types of limitations that may not be able to carry a load [higher] like during a traditional squat,” says Jones.
The solely notable limitation with the hex bar is that it could actually’t be used for Olympic weightlifting-style workouts such because the barbell clear, which requires a straight bar being thrust in entrance of the physique into the racked place close to your shoulders and chest, explains Jones.
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Who Should Use the Hex Bar for Deadlifts
Hex bar deadlifts “can be performed by most ages and levels unless they are very beginner since the bar weighs 45-70 pounds depending on the model,” says Jones, noting that those that have weak again muscular tissues or restricted power of their core, in addition to these rehabbing an damage could profit most from utilizing the hex bar for deadlifts. “The weight [on a hex bar] is evenly distributed around the body with the weights on the sides vs. the straight bar which puts a lot of strain on the lower back with all of the load directly in front,” says Jones. As with most load-bearing workouts, anybody with a present again damage ought to keep away from lifting with the hex bar (or straight barbell for that matter), as it might exacerbate their problem, she says.
How to Load and Lift with the Hex Bar
Ready to offer the entice bar a attempt in your subsequent spherical of deadlifts? You load this hex-shaped barbell very similar to you’ll a straight barbell, including weight plates to 1 facet and securing with a clip or collar earlier than including the identical weight (until in any other case specified, reminiscent of for an offset carry) to the opposite facet.
No matter what sort of deadlift — conventional or Romanian — it’s actually necessary to keep up rigidity in your higher physique as effectively, whenever you come to standing, says Jones. “Before standing up, be sure to pack the shoulders down as if you’re squeezing your armpits tight or think about tightening up the torso as if it’s an airtight can about to explode,” she explains.
Jones suggests including the hex bar deadlift to your exercise routine as soon as every week throughout pull-focused coaching (i.e. doing workouts that interact muscular tissues used to drag fairly than push — assume: you pull along with your legs throughout a deadlift, however you push the ground away arising from a squat), leg day, or throughout a full-body exercise. Beginners to the hex bar ought to go for a reps and units scheme of three units of 10 reps, and intermediate hex bar lifters can do 4 units of 8 reps.
No matter the place you might be in your coaching routine, including in new tools and strategies retains your thoughts and physique guessing and ensures your exercises by no means change into boring.
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